Hernial truss.



90. 699,095. Patented Apr. 29, 1992. J. 0. LE HARDY.

HERNIAL TBUS S. (Application filed Feb. 7, 1901.)

(No Model.) I i sham-sheet].

AQFZaQQQ No. 699,095. Patented Apr. 29, I902.

J. 0. LE HARDY.

HERNIAL Tn'uss. (Application filed Feb. 7, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

v! ENNNMVL HIS THE Nonms PETEns ca, PMoTaLn'uo WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS 0. LE HARDY, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

HERNIAL'TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,095, dated April 29; 1902. I Application filed February 7,1901. Serial No. 46,421. (No'modeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS 0.1m HARDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Savannah, in the county of Ohatham and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hernial Trusses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in hernial trusses adapted for use in the treatment of abdominal hernia. Its primary object is to funish a hernial truss of simple and durable construction, of convenient application, and adaptable to all sizes of persons and all forms of abdominal hernia.

Another object is to so shape the wire as to permit the back or supporting pads to be placed in the hollow of the ileum above and back of the great tro'ohanter, where they will not be affected by the movements of the body.

A further object is to provide pads adapted to all the difie'rent forms of hernia, and. which can be readily adjusted and locked at any desired point along the wire of the truss; also, to provide hernial pads of oval-form swinging on a pivot to any desired angle of inclination.

Hernial pads in trusses heretofore employed have been held in position in one otthree ways-t. 6., by a spring, an elastic band, or by straps tightened upon the body. Although the pressure exerted upon the hernial pad by a spring or by an elastic band feels as though it were constantly increasing, it is under no control and can be overcome by straining or any sudden motion of the body, such as that occasioned by coughing, sneezing, 85c. If held in place by rigid straps, any strongmuscula'r action or sudden change in the position of the body may alter the pressure on the pad and let the intestines'become displaced.

My invention consists in providing a truss where one or two metallic wires of proper size and stiffnessjmaygbejused, the same being held securely in position 'upon the body by pads, which also serve to hold said wires or wire out of contact with the flesh. These wires are fitted to the body directly over the spot where the hernial pads are to be placed and may be adjusted for use in umbilical,

5o ventral, right and left femoral, or inguinal hernia, or any two or three of these.

The invention also consists in so shaping the wire at each side of the abdomen.

trochanter, in the hollow of the ileum, where its ends are securely held by pads. These padsare connected and held immovably in position by a strap passing across the back from one hip-pad to the other. By locating the hip-pads at this point they are not interfered with by any motion of the body, and the hernial pad is therefore kept immovable in its position not by springs or straps, but by the resistance of the wire, which is also immovable, the same being securely bound between the hip and hernial pads.

The invention also consists in so arranging the pads and shaping the wire that said wire will be held out of contact with the body at all times.

I am aware that trusses have been devised which employ pads arranged upon a wire extending across the abdomen and hips; but in these the wire acts as a spring upon the hernial pad, angular bends being made along The pressure is not, therefore, a direct pressure. The supporting-pads also have been arranged vatpoints upon the back, where they are subject to movement by muscular action and by motions of the body. In my improved truss the hernial pad is held securely in position in spite of any sudden strain or muscular action of the body.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention and the manner of using the same. 7

In saiddrawings, Figure 1 is a detail View of the hernial truss with the strap removed. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of an oval hernial pad used in connection with thistruss. Fig. 3 is a section therethrough. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of the hip-pads'ofthe truss. Fig. 5 is a section therethrough. F-ig'.-6 is a section through a pad especially adapted for use in treatmentof femoral or ventral hernia. Fig. 7 is a similar view of a modified form of pad employed for umbilical hernia. Fig. 8 is a detail view of a modified form of sleeve for the hip-pads. Fig. 9 illustrates the positions of the pads and wire in different forms of hernia. Fig. 10 is a side View showing the truss in position upon the body for the treatment of left inguinal and umbilical hernia at the same time by employing two wires. Fig. 11 is a view of the back of the body and showing the hip-pads in position above and back of the great trochanter.

Referring to the figures by numerals and letters of reference, 1 is a curved wire which is adapted to extend across the abdomen and over the hernia. As shown in the drawings, this wire is curved upward from the front central position in opposite directions, as shown at 2, and thence downward at the ends 3. Slidably mounted on the truss-wire 1 are binding-posts 4, having transverse apertures a, through which the truss-wire is projected. Binding-screws 5 are let through the heads of the binding-posts and bear with their inner or lower ends 011 the wire, whereby the binding-posts, with the pads, may be clamped to the wire at any required point. The binding-posts intermediate the hippads are formed at their innerends with central studs 6, on which is loosely mounted a plate or disk 7, secured over a recess 8, formed in the outer face of the hernial pad 0. A washer 10 is socured to the projecting end of the bindingpost behind the plate 7 to hold the parts together. The hernial pad being thus pivotally supported can be readily placed in the required direction to aline with the wound to be closed.

The studs 11 of the back-pads 12 are threaded and screwed into plates which are fastened to the supporting-pads 12. These pads are circular in form and are arranged adjacent to the ends of the wire.

The hernial pad 9 is preferably oval, as shown, and can, as is obvious, be swung to any desired position upon its pivot to suit inguinal and ventral hernia on the right or left side.

A strap 13is detachably secured to the pads 12 and is adapted to extend across the back and prevent displacement of said pads. By bending the wire 1 up or down the hernial pads may be adjusted for use in the various forms of hernia.

When the truss is applied, the pads 12 are adjusted so as to lie just above and back of the great trochanter and in the hollow of the ileum, and the wire 1 will then curve over the hips and across the hernia. The strap 13 is placed in position and holds the pads 12 immovable, and as these pads are not affected by any muscular action the position of the pad 9 will remain unchanged in spite of all strains and movements of the body. As the pads 9 and 12 are arranged between the wire 1 and the body, said wire will be held out of contact with the body at all times. The pads may be made of hard rubber, wood, metal, porcelain, &c., and do not require soft coverings, as their pressure may be so regulated as to cause no chafing, pain, or inconven ience.

In Fig. 9 I have indicated by dotted lines the position of the pads in the various forms of hernia. In this figure, A is the position of the pad for umbilical hernia, B for one form of ventral hernia, O for right and left inguinal hernia, and D for right and left femoral hernia.

It is to be understood that the wire 1 does not at any time act as a spring, but passes directly over the hernial pad and connects with the immovable pads 12, thereby holding said pad against displacement. Again, it must be understood that in my invention two or more wires may be used on the same truss for the relief of umbilical or high Ventral and of inguinal or femoral hernia at the same time. (See Fig. 10.) The wires are held by the same hip-pads, only that in this truss two circular openings are made for the wires in the binding-post of the pad, as shown in Fig. 3. Each wire is held secure in position by a set-screw 5 and acts separately and directly upon the hernial pads, holding each separately in its proper position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A hernial truss comprising two wires bent to conform to the contour of different parts of the body and to stand free from the surface thereof, binding-posts having duplicate wire-apertures to receive and hold the respective ends of the two wires, hip-pads secured to the said binding-posts, binding-posts adjustably mounted on each wire at the front and intermediate the hip-pads, a hernial pad revolubly secured to the inner end of each intermediate binding-post, and a fasteningstrap to unite the binding-posts of the hippads.

2. A hernial truss comprising a wire bent to the contour of the abdomen and hips and to stand free and away from the body with its ends terminating at points above and back of the great trochanter in the hollow of the ileum, a plurality of binding-posts each having an aperture to adj ustably engage over the wire at each end and a threaded stud at the inner end, a clamping-screw let through the head of each binding-post, a hip-pad detachably secured to the threaded stud of each binding-post, a binding-post slidably mounted on the wire intermediate the hip-pads, a screw to clamp the binding-post to the wire, a plate revolubly secured to the inner end of the binding-post, a hernial pad secured to the plate, and a fastening-strap connecting the binding-posts of the hip-pads.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si nature in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS 0. LE HARDY,

Vitnesses:

THOMAS KENNEY, TIMOTHY SULLIVAN. 

